Laches ; Protagoras ; Meno ; Euthydemus by Platón(
Book
)1
edition published
in
1977
in
English
and held by
5 WorldCat member
libraries
worldwide
PLATO, the great philosopher of Athens, son of Ariston, was born in 427 B.C. In early manhood admirer of Socrates, he later
founded the famous school of philosophy in the grove Academus. Much else recorded of his life is uncertain; that he left Athens
for a time after Socrates' execution is probable; that later he went to Cyrene, Egypt, and Sicily is possible; that he was
wealthy is likely; that he was critical of 'advanced' democracy is obvious. He lived to be 80 years old. Linguistic tests
including those of computer science still try to establish the order of his extant philosophical dialogues, written in splendid
prose and revealing Socrates' mind fused with Plato's thought. In Laches, Charmides, and Lysis, Socrates and others discuss
separate ethical conceptions. Protagoras, Io, and Meno discuss whether righteousness can be taught. In Gorias, Socrates is
estranged from his city's thought, and his fate is impending. The Apology (not a dialogue), Crito, Euthyphro, and the unforgettable
Phaedo relate to the trial and death of Socrates and propound the immortality of the soul. In the famous Symposium and Phaedrus,
written when Socrates was still alive, we find the origin and meaning of love. Cratylus discusses the nature of language and
the great masterpiece in 10 books, the Republic, concerns righteousness (and involves education, equality of the sexes, socialism,
communism, and even abolition of slavery). Of the 6 so called 'dialectical" dialogues Euthydemus deals with philosophy; meta-physical
Parmenides about general concepts and absolute being; Theaetetus reasons about the theory of knowledge; of its sequels, Sophist
deals with not-being; Politicus with good and bad statesmanship and governments; Philebus with what is good. The Timaeus seeks
the origin of the visible universe out of abstract geometrical elements. The unfinished Critias treats of lost Atlantis. Unfinished
also is Plato's last work of the 12 books Laws (Socrates is absent from it), a critical discussion of principles of law which
Plato thought the Greeks might accept. Of a dozen other extant dialogues and also some letters a few may be genuine. Six other
extant dialogues have been rejected as spurious since ancient times

Protagoras by Plato(
Book
)1
edition published
in
1875
in
Undetermined
and held by
1 WorldCat member
library
worldwide
In addition to its interest as one of Plato's most brilliant dramatic masterpieces, the Protagoras presents a vivid picture
of the crisis of fifth-century Greek thought, in which traditional values and conceptions of humanity were subjected to criticism
of the Sophists and to the far more radical criticism of Socrates. The dialogue deals with many themes which are central to
the ethical theories which Plato developed under the influence of Socrates, notably, the nature of human excellence, the relation
of knowledge to right conduct, and the place of pleasure in the good life. This revised edition includes a new preface and
introduction, as well as numerous changes to the translation and commentary